Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-12
FIGHTING SOUTH PENN.
NEW AND IMPORTANT MOVES BY
THE PENNSYLVANIA.
Suits Begin in New York Courts, and
the Nanderbilts and other People
Called On to Answer-BiIls
in Equity Filed.

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. Cone of the most
important steps in the great South Penn and
Beech Creek railroad fight was taken yester-
day by the Pennsylvania railroad which is
designed to prevent the new effort made to
build tln competing line across the state.
Two bills in equity were filed in the United
States court for the southern district OF
New York, the first by the Bedford and
Bridgeport Railroad company and the
Pennsylvania railroad, and the second by
the Northern Central railway. The first bill
asks for an injunction restraining the parties
who sold the South Pennsylvania railroad to
the complainanA from doing any act which
will interfere with the complaAlants' rights
in the South Pennsylvania, by sale, reor-
ganiZation or in any other way. The second
bill asks the court to restrain the executors
of the estate of w. H. Vanderbilt from SELL
ing or disposing of the Beech Creek railroad
against the interests of the Northern Central
railway, which purchased a controlling in
terest in the property from Mr. Vanderbilt
in 1855.
These suits indicate a thorough determine
ton on the part of the Pennsylvania Rail
road company to hold fast to the properties
purchased by the company and the other
companies named from Mr.. Vanderbilt and
other holders Of a majority of the South
Pennsylvania in 1885. The Pennsylvania
considers itself the owner of these properties,
and is advised and believes that the courts
will so decide. The Pennsylvania processes
to have no desire to prevent the building OF
the South Pennsylvania, but it objects to
any movement which will disturb its owner
ship or which will in any way divert the
traffic of the South Pennsylvania from the
Pennsylvania at Harrisburg and Pittsburg
1t is claimed that the Beech Creek was pur-
chased by the Northern Central, a road
which is not actually controlled by the Penn.
sylvania, and that the purchase prevented
the building of line into the Clearfied coal
region by the Northern Central. AS to the
South Pennsylvania, the bill alleges that a
majority interest in that road was purchased
and actually paid for through third party,
j. Pierpont Morgan. The suits are brought
in the United States court in New York. be-
cause in no other way couli the Pennsyl-
vania reach the defendants, and without
any prejudice to the proceedings now pend
ing in the Dauphin county common pleas, in
this state. Had the latter court had juris-
diction the suits would have been fought at
| Harrisburg.
Action on the part of the Pennsylvania
was made necessary by the recent movement
of minority of South Pennsylvania holders
looking to reorganization of that company
adversely to the Pennsylvania's interest,
which was publicly announced by the gem
tlemen prominent in the movement in the
newspapers and elsewhere. The bill in
equity fileI by the Bedford and Bridge
port Railroad company is against the
following defendants: j. Pierpont Morgan,
Maria Louisa Vanderbilt, William X. Van
| del-pilt Cornelius VanClerbilh Frederick w